This aim of the study is to investigate the risks among adolescents with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) who develop compulsive Internet use (CIU) and adolescents who do not develop CIU.

Methods

Seventy-eight adolescents with ADHD completed general demographic questionnaires that included information on body mass index, subtype, comorbidity, and behavioral problems. The family characteristics included information on parental ADHD diagnosis, psychiatric symptoms, and media exposure problems. The respondents were categorized as ADHD with CIU or ADHD with non-CIU, based on the Internet addiction cutoff point by the standardized measurements of the Chen Internet Addiction Scale.

Results

The results revealed 12.8% of the adolescents with ADHD had CIU. They were characterized by average height, tendency to withdraw, having a young father, and playing computer games for more than 1 hour daily.

Conclusion

More attention to ADHD adolescents with CIU is warranted. An early intervention program is suggested for their social withdrawal tendency.